Wedding Vid!

So this doesn't have anything to do with food,

but today I finally put together a little video from our wedding! Thanks to Brandon for shooting the footage for us :)

Play it in HD. You won't be sorry.

Best Eats Series: Cooking by Feel

I've always loved watching cooking shows. In college, when I was in between classes, I'd often flip the tv over to the food network so I could slump on the couch and dream of all the delicious dishes they were making.

One thing always impressed me - most of the chefs I watched never measured anything. Paula would say, "Now pour in a third of a cup of broth", and then just dump some in out of a big container. How did she do it?

I have always been a cook who measures.

... But not anymore.

I have discovered, after cooking dish after dish, that I can suddenly cook by feel and sight. I don't need to measure anymore.

I love it. I'm so much faster, so much more confident, and, perhaps best of all, I don't dirty up nearly as many dishes.

Here are a few tips that have helped me in my cooking.

- Don't be afraid to adapt recipes. Some of my favorite dishes were born this way - I started with someone else's recipe as a base, then I changed it to my preferences. If something sounds good, it probably is! Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Trust your gut. (Literally. Ha!)

- Plan your meals weekly. Before the week starts, I think up of a menu for each day and make a grocery list for the whole week. I save money, and I'm not stressing at 4 each evening because I have no idea what to make for dinner :)

- Have a small arsenal of great, simple recipes memorized. These are your go-tos. Don't feel pressured to cook something new every night. During a typical week, I'll do 3 new dinners and 4 tried-and-true.

-Try to prepare things can be eaten for more than one meal. For example, tonight I'm fixing a barbecue roast, mac and cheese, and a big pot of green beans. There will be plenty of meat leftover, so tomorrow lunch will be barbecue stuffed potato skins. For dinner, I can reheat the mac and cheese and green beans and fix a new meat, like some chicken or pork chops. Some cuts will stretch further than you would think. I love a shoulder roast, or a rump. Cheap, tough cuts are wonderful for several meals, because you can buy a larger weight for the same price as a few chicken breasts. As long as you cook them low and slow, they'll still be tender and delicious!

- You can never go wrong with a pan sauce. Or a gravy. These are quick to prepare, use the same pan so you don't have to wash a ton of dishes, and really add flavor to a meal. I love sauces poured over meats, greens, potatoes, pasta, rice - pretty much anything. Yum!

- If you have time, make extra. It's always great to make a meal to freeze for an emergency. You never know when you will be out of an ingredient you swore you bought! One of my favorite things to keep in the freezer is chili. Soups freeze especially well, and are a cinch to heat up and serve. Easy!

In the next few posts, I'll share some of my "go-to" meals. They're easy to memorize, easy to make, and are all totally delicious.

Best Eats Series: Fine Dining

Even though I'm usually a frugal girl, I don't mind blowing some cash once in awhile on

FINE DINING!!!

 I don't get my nails done. I've never had a facial or massage. I have a haircut once or twice a year. Most of my clothes are from the thrift store.

If you want to pamper me, take me somewhere fancy and buy me a steak!

Colton is excellent at picking out good restaurants. On holidays or just any fancy date, he whips out his phone and starts sifting through the choices on urbanspoon. (If you ever want to find a good restaurant, I highly recommend that site! It's easy to use, and its ratings are usually accurate. There seem to be less grumpsters, and more people who just appreciate good food and want to help other people choose a place to eat.)

There's just really nothing like being all dressed up, browsing a dizzying wine list, and being treated like royalty by the restaurant staff. (I love interacting with waiters and waitresses. So many people are mean or rude to them - they really appreciate warmth shown to them, and will reward you likewise!)

Here are the top three dining experiences of my life.

1) Cafe Dupont - Downtown Birmingham

Man oh man. Colton took me here while we were dating. Maybe we were engaged? I can't remember. We were visiting his family, and he said he wanted to take me on a date. It was the fanciest restaurant I had ever been to. I was so excited! As soon as we walked in, I knew it would be such a treat. Cafe Dupont is a strong supporter of the Slow Food movement. You can read more about it here. They have wonderful relationships with local farmers, such as Michael Dean Farms, specializing in Microgreens and other specialty lettuces, and Wright Dairy, the only dairy farm in Alabama who milks, bottles, and sells right on their farm. The chef and owner, Chris Dupont, grew up in New Orleans and honed his skills in various fine dining establishments with other noteworthy chefs. In 1994 he opened his own restaurant Springville, then relocated to a circa-1870 storefront building in Birmingham's historic North End. The menu changes daily, and features creative dishes that feature local ingredients and reflect Dupont's Creole roots. 

During our visit, we were seated in a dim and intimate side room at a two person table. We held hands and smiled as we chose our dishes. I got a marinated lamb dish. It was my first time having lamb, and was literally the best thing I have ever eaten. The best thing. It was just so tender and flavorful. Colton got a filet (or some other thick tender steak) that was absolutely delicious. He still maintains that it was the best steak he's ever had. (And he's had alot of steaks!) Colton also got a glass of lovely red wine recommended by the waiter. At that time, I didn't have my current love of red wine, but I liked the sip I had. I don't remember what variety it was, though! For dessert, we shared the beignets, which were fantastic. They're a house specialty. Who doesn't love a beignet?

So basically, if you live anywhere near Alabama, or ever visit, you HAVE to go to this restaurant. You won't be disappointed.

2) Arroyo Chop House - Pasadena, CA

This place is more like a traditional chop house, except ramped up a few notches. If you're in Southern Cal and you want a solid steak, this is a great place to go! Arroyo is the only restaurant in Souther California that serves exclusively USDA Prime beef, which is the highest quality available. The restaurant was opened in 1997 by the Smith Brothers Restarant Corporation. These guys are two brothers, Gregg and Bob Smith, who own five restaurants in and surrounding Los Angles. (Arroyo is the only one I've been to, though - I can't speak for the others!)

Arroyo has a nice, warm atmosphere. We were seated in the room pictured above, and waited on very quickly by friendly staff. Colton and I both ordered a filet, which were both tender and tasty. (Colton said it was in his top five, but it wasn't as good as the steak from Cafe Dupont.) The real standout to me were the sides. Here, they serve family-sized sides meant for sharing. We had - listen to this - lobster mashed potatoes. Genius. I've never heard of such a thing. Mashed potatoes are my favorite side anyway, but then you infuse them with lobster oil and top them with tender chunks of lobster meat? Getouttatown. Hands down, the best mashed potatoes of my life. And I make a pretty mean pot of mashed potatoes myself, so I'm not easily swayed. Bravo, Arroyo! I also had a great glass of wine with the meal. It was the Sierra Madre 2008 Pinot Noir. I would highly recommend it! It drinks very smoothly, and complimented my steak nicley. Colton liked it too. For dessert, we had the chocolate souffle, a house specialty. And they pour cream in the middle, yum!!! There's also the Grand Marnier souffle, which I would definitely try next time. It sounds wonderful.

3) Foodworks - Chattanooga, TN

Okay, so I'm not actually sure if Foodworks is technically fine dining... but it is in my book, and this is my blog post, so... here it is.

Foodworks is a place I've been to quite a few times. Four, maybe? It's definitely one of the best places in Chattanooga. It makes my list mainly because of its unique atmosphere and its creative menu. It opened in the spring of 2006 and quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in Chattanooga. I like that it has dishes that can rival most fine dining places, but it still maintains a relaxed environment. Many nice restaurants can get a little snooty-feeling, but not this place! It's a really cool space - it's located with the historic knitting mill on the North Shore. It's SO Chattanooga. Maybe that's why I love it. I would call it "Warm Industrial." Fantastic. It features warm wood, exposed brick and pipes, and tons of large windows to let in natural light. You get to see what you're eating!

Foodworks, much like Cafe Dupont, features sortof a "progressive Southern" menu. The dishes nod to traditional Southern fare, but have modern twists and often feature ethnic touches as well. They have a great maple-glazed pork chop, shrimpNgrits, and steaks. I also really liked the bite I had of my mom's flounder. Most of my visits, I've had the daily special that wasn't on the regular menu. This place is just consistently good. Another plus - they have a good little selection of craft beers and house cocktails. (Although if you really want a good beer in Chattanooga, then go to the Terminal or the Honest Pint!)

Overall: A really nice place you can go for drinks and a great dinner without having to change out of your jeans!

Best Eats Series: BBQ, Please!

Since my greatest love besides my husband, family, and friends is definitely food, I've decided to do a "Best Eats Series", in which I'll review my favorite restaurants by genre and post my own favorite recipes.

The first genre is:

BBQ!

BBQ, Barbecue, Barbeque, Bar-B-Q. However you want to spell it, it's one of my favorites. I love it. I'll eat it on anything. I'll eat any kind. I like spicy sauce. I like mustard based sauce. I like Kansas sauce. I like vinegar sauce.

But my absolute favorite is the sweet and smoky Tennessee barbecue that I grew up on.

Here are my top 3 places to get good barbecue.

1) Central BBQ in Memphis, TN. 

     Memphis barbecue doesn't get any better than this, folks. This place is constantly voted #1 for best barbecue in Memphis and in the region, most recently by Memphis Magazine and the Memphis Flyer. Their pulled pork is the best I've had, and I've had a LOT of barbecue in my day. It's just perfect. It's tender, juicy, and flavorful, and their sauce is delightfully tangy. (Plus - they have a sauce bar so you can sample all their flavors!) The sides are also excellent. My husband especially loved their greens, and I destroyed their slaw. (I almost never eat barbecue without slaw. Especially on a sandwich.) Another thing that pushes these guys over the edge in my book is their involvement with Project Green Fork, an organization striving for a sustainable Mid-South by reducing environmental impacts and strengthening home-grown restaurants. 

2) Mo-Mo's BBQ in Dayton, TN

Literally a shack on the side of Rhea County Hwy, MoMo's doesn't appear to be the culinary gold mine it is. But man. I've eaten here more than any other bbq joint. Tender pulled pork (they also have beef and chicken, but go with the pork) basted with a perfectly sweet and spicy sauce. Seriously, this place is the real deal. When you approach the window, a woman with permed hair and long painted fingernails will pull open the screen and say, "What'll ya have, honey?", filling up a HUGE styrofoam cup with sweet tea. They've recently built a trailer next door for guests to sit down and eat. It features high tables with stools, buckets of peanuts, and a strong smell of sawdust. It's a great place to have barbecue and a good conversation. I recommend the pork plate (you can't go wrong with any of the sides. The onion rings are perfect. Colton always gets the fried okra, but it's best if you can eat it there instead of taking it home so it stays crisp) or my favorite college snack, the Mo-skins. They may not be on the menu, but they'll make them for you. Also, getting extra sauce is definitely worth the extra quarter.

3) Couch's BBQ in Ooltewah, TN

Couch's is where I grew up eating BBQ. It's in my hometown, family owned and operated. It was opened in 1946 by William and Agnes Couch, the Aunt and Uncle of the current owner, Ken. He's the young guy in the foreground, turning the ham's. The man on the right is long-time owner, Kenny, who ran the restaurant for years and years with his wife. His family went to our church in Ooltewah, so every big church event - picnics, potlucks, ice cream socials - featured mouth-watering barbecue. Ken was also in my church league softball team the year I played in college. I was in right field, and the few times the ball came to me and I actually caught it, I would throw it to Ken to throw in the diamond because I couldn't manage to toss it all the way in! He is the nicest guy.

Anyway. Back to the barbecue.

Couch's has very special barbecue. It's not the norm. For one thing, the meat is shaved instead of pulled. You can see it in the picture below.

It's really thin, almost like deli meat. It's smoked over hickory, which gives it a really nice flavor. Also, they don't baste their meat with sauce, but instead they leave it in bottles on the table so you can use as much or as little as you want. Their sauce is less sweet and more spicy than both Central's and Mo-Mo's. I recommend getting a pork sandwich topped with their hot slaw. (But it's not for the faint of heart!) Another stand out is their pie selection, made daily by the women from a secret recipe. Their chocolate is the best seller, but I also like the coconut and buttermilk!

So that wraps it up.

If any of you know of a good bbq place in Los Angeles, I'd love to hear about it. The best I can do is make a bbq pork roast at home then shred it. It's just not the same!

Thai soup and other things

Finally, a new post!

To catch you up:

I've been working hard on my new jewelry line, Whisperwill. Here's my Esty shop! It's taking alot of my time, so that's a big reason why I've had a bit of a hiatus. We also shot the last two film reels for Jesus Fish, our short film. Hurray! Finally, I've learned that I love movies made in or around the 1960's. Some of my favorites we've watched recently: Raging Bull, Spartacus, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Cinema was really changing in this era. It's incredible to see such a shift in an artform I love!

Today, I'm going to post a recipe for a delicious Thai soup! I happen to be enjoying the leftovers right now as I watch (Ahem... the Bachelorette) on Hulu. (Colton judges me for my soft spot for reality shows.)

This recipe is for a coconut milk based soup that Thai restaurants often serve as an appetizer - I adapted the recipe from a Tom Kha Gai tutorial by the lovely Leela at Shesimmers. If you have access to all the ingredients she lists, you should make hers! It's more authentic, and probably tastes a bit better. However, I couldn't find everything, and so I made a few changes, while trying to remain as close to her recipe as possible. That's why I'm calling this "Thai soup" instead of "Tom Kha Gai" - Gai means chicken, but I decided to use shrimp. Tom is Galangal, a root herb. I'm using ginger instead. So really, the only word in the title that applies is Tom - cooked. And that's just not very descriptive.

Enjoy!

Image by shesimmers.com

Ingredients for 3-4 servings:


24 fluid oz chicken broth    *I used 32 oz, because that's how much was in my carton. It worked fine!
8-12 fresh shrimp               *You can add more! I use 4 shrimp per person I want to feed. Also, Leela uses chicken.
12 oz mushrooms, sliced thinly (I use Cremini. White is fine, but I wouldn't recommend Shitake.)
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped into 1 inch pieces then smashed with the side of your knife   *I was able to find fresh lemongrass at Ralph's. If you are not able to find it, check an Asian market. It is essential to the dish!
Zest of 1 lime
1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 can good coconut milk
A few red chilies (or any other small spicy chiles)
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Fresh lime juice
Fish sauce (this is easy to find in the foreign foods aisle in the supermarket!)

Begin by bringing your chicken broth to a boil and reducing it by about half. (This makes the broth much more flavorful without having to add such traditional things as chicken feet. Blech!)

Lower the heat to slighty below a simmer and add the smashed lemongrass, lime zest, and ginger root. Allow to infuse for about 10-15 minutes.

*After this infusion time, if you don't want to pick around the herbs later, strain them out. I leave them in, because I think they make it prettier.

Add the mushroom and shrimp, allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is done.

Pierce the peppers with the knife, give them a quick smash (like the lemongrass), and toss them into the soup right before serving.

Ladle into bowls, and flavor to taste with lime juice and fish sauce. *** This is essential!!!! This is where alot of the flavor comes from.

For each bowl, I use about 1/4 lime worth of juice, and maybe 3-4 good shots of fish sauce.

Top each bowl with a little fresh cilantro.

Yum!

I like to serve this as an appetizer for Pad Thai, but it can also be served as a main course with Jasmine rice.

Zombies in real life!?

Bath Salts.

Nope, not the kind you put in your bath -

Another kind.

A potent mixture of amphetamines and LSD.

It makes people super-human, and very aggressive.

This one naked man in Miami ate the face off another naked man. A police shot him, and he didn't stop!

A man in New Jersey threw his own intestines at the police, and didn't respond to two cans of pepper spray.

Have you guys heard of this stuff?

If the apocalypse comes, I know I will be one of the first to die.

I'm just not built to handle this type of situation.

The Evil that Lurks Behind the Mr Coffee

Did I ever mention that I hate cockroaches?

I feel bad saying that when I see pictures of cute cartoon cockroaches, like this.

 

But I don't feel bad when a real cockroach, a big one with scary legs that make a bad noise, jumps out at me from behind the coffeemaker, like tonight.

At first, like many young soldiers when faced with war, I wanted to desert. And I did. I ran back to the living room. But then, I decided to hold my ground. I put my shoes on, (I don't want any buggies running across my toes, thankyouverymuch) and peeked back into the kitchen.

I crept into the closet and chose my weapons - a Swiffer Sweeper, and a can of fly spray. I didn't know if it worked on roaches, and I still don't really, but I thought it was worth a shot.

(Long range weaponry is always a safer bet.)

I came out victorious, but he didn't go without a fight.

I hope I never see another roach again.

Except maybe a cartoon one.